Effect of inoculum size on single-cell oil production from glucose and xylose using oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi

• Published in: Journal of bioscience and bioengineering 2018-06, Vol.125 (6), p.695-702
• Main Authors: Juanssilfero, Ario B., Kahar, Prihardi, Amza, Rezky L., Miyamoto, Nao, Otsuka, Hiromi, Matsumoto, Hana, Kihira, Chie, Thontowi, Ahmad, Yopi, Ogino, Chiaki, Prasetya, Bambang, Kondo, Akihiko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Inoculum size; Lipid accumulation; Lipomyces starkeyi; Oleaginous yeast; Single cell oil
• ISSN: 1389-1723; 1347-4421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2017.12.020

Oleaginous microbes can convert substrates such as carbon dioxide, sugars, and organic acids to single-cell oils (SCOs). Among the oleaginous microorganisms, Lipomyces starkeyi is a particularly well-suited host given its impressive native abilities, including the capability to utilize a wide variety of carbon sources. In this work, the potential of L. starkeyi NBRC10381 to produce SCOs in a synthetically nitrogen-limited mineral medium (-NMM) was investigated by differing the inoculum size using glucose and/or xylose as a carbon source. Fermentation using glucose and xylose as mixed carbon sources generated the highest production of biomass at 40.8 g/L, and achieved a lipid content of 84.9% (w/w). When either glucose or xylose was used separately, the totals for achieved lipid content were 79.6% (w/w) and 85.1% (w/w), respectively. However, biomass production was higher for glucose than for xylose (30.3 vs. 28.7 g/L, respectively). This study describes the first simultaneous achievement of higher levels of cell mass and lipid production using glucose and/or xylose as the carbon sources in different inoculum sizes.